1. Field of the Invention
The present invention involves a device for piercing and cutting wrap and other piercable, cuttable materials. More specifically, it involves a unique device with a complex cutting blade which performs rapid, efficient piercing and cutting in a single flow motion.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
U.S. Pat. No. 1,498,753 to Daniel I. Rendlich discloses a carcass opening device having a steel blade with a sharp point on one end and at the other end a flat shank with a flat handle secured on it. Near the handle, there is a branch blade spaced from the main blade with a bead-like element at its end point. A U-shaped curve with continuous sharp edges is formed between the main blade and its branch.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,610,399 to Adams et al. describes and illustrates a ripper for seams having a protected recessed cutting edge with a relatively thin tooth-like probe extending therefrom for insertion between the members to be ripped.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,814 to Gustav Jecker discloses a ripping tool having a substantially flat metal shank with two prongs at it ends forming a fork. One of the prongs is elongated and has a pointed end while the other prong is relatively short and has a round enlargement. There are depressions between the prongs which leave a thin counter-sunk web being inwardly curved and forming a cutting blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,670 to J. O. Tilly teaches a slitting device having a body portion of generally flat plate-like construction. The body is provided with a slot extending close to one edge and parallel thereto, and in the base of which a removable cutting blade is provided. The blade has a generally hook-shaped cutting edge to prevent jamming of paper or other cut material at an edge of the slot and the blade is further permanently secured to a blade holder removable from the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,117 to Walter Fogg describes and illustrates a disposable blade device having at one end a pair of spaced blunt unsharpened projections joined by a concave sharpened area and having at its opposite end a blunt point and a narrow stitch picker with a concave edge portion between them.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,822 to Richard Mobus discloses a needlepoint and crewel-embroidery stitch remover having a handle secured to a member. The member terminates in a bifurcation with a long tine and a short tine with a cutting surface in the crotch between the tines.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,152 to John Mull discloses a suture removing device having a body with a handle portion, a head portion and a cutting edge provided in the handle portion. The head portion has a leading end with a forked tip and a surface extending rearwardly of the tip to the cutting edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,340 to Hartwig Kahlcke describes and illustrates a parting tool which has and arc shaped blade located between two tines of unequal length to effect a cut. The long tine may have a thorn-like point and the short tine may have a spherical thickening above the blade. The tines pass over into a shaft which is fastened to one end of a shaft holder.
Thus, while various opening and cutting devices have been developed, none teach the complex blade structure having a blade section and a cutting section at substantially right angles to each other of the present invention. Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.